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Group C round-up

Eurosport
ByEurosport

Published 07/10/2006 at 20:20 GMT

European champions Greece made it two wins out of two when they edged past Norway 1-0 in their Euro 2008 Group C qualifier in Athens' Karaiskaki stadium on Saturday.

FOOTBALL Greece v Norway Euro 2008 Qualifier

Image credit: Reuters

The start of the match was deleyed by 50 minutes when a thunderstorm dumped several centimetres of rain on the pitch.
The Greeks pressed the Norwegians relentlessly in search of an early goal but didn't stick until the 32nd minute when Giorgos Karagounis floated a freekick into the box and Costas Katsouranis volleyed past Thomas Myhre.
Twice, in the opening seven minutes, Yourkas Seitaridis crossed deep in the box but a handful of Greeks failed to connect.
Norway came close to scoring in the 12th minute when Fredrik Stromstad's long-range volley from a poor Greek clearance forced Antonis Nikopolidis to tip the ball over his bar.
They had a second good chance 11 minutes later from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but after sidestepping two defenders, he saw his low drive fly past Nikopolidis' right post.
Throughout the match, in-form Solskjaer found himself guarded by at least a pair of tall central Greek defenders in Sotiris Kyrgiakos and Giorgos Anatolakis.
Greece went in search of a second goal after the break with striker Angelos Charisteas replacing midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos in a bid to break open a shaky Norwegian central defence.
Norway almost got an equaliser but John Arne Riise's low shot in the 73rd minute scraped Nikopolidis' right post before rolling wide.
Greece could have added a second goal in stoppage time but Yannis Amanatidis' close-range effort hit the post.
TURKEY EARN THREE POINTS
A superb lob by Sanli Tuncay earned Turkey earned them a 1-0 win over Hungary on Saturday.
The visitors - who are second in Group C behind Norway - took the lead just before half-time when Cetin Servet headed the ball into the path of Tuncay who lobbed the ball over Gabor Kiraly and into the net.
Hungary had the only real scoring opportunity of the second half when West Bromich Albion striker Zoltan Gera curled a free-kick in towards goal.
But he was denied the equaliser as the ball crashed against the crossbar and was cleared from danger by the Turkey back four.
"We did not play well, but got the result we came for, that's what matters at the moment," said Turkey coach Fatih Terim.
"The team is under enormous pressure, so regarding that, I have to be satisfied."
Hungary coach Peter Bozsik could not hide his disappointment.
"I feel we only played around half of what we are capable of," he said.
"Two home defeats do not help our qualifying chances but there is still a long way to go."
Hungary, who were also beaten 4-1 by Norway, must beat Malta on Wednesday to revive their hopes in the group.
FIRST POINTS FOR MOLDOVA
A goal from midfielder Ivica Grlic earned Bosnia-Herzegovina a 2-2 draw against Moldova in their Euro 2008 Group C qualifier on Saturday.
Moldova led 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from forward Serghei Rogaciov.
He outplayed the Bosnian goalkeeper and put the ball into an empty net in the 13th minute, before adding the second in the 32nd minute after Moldova were awarded a penalty for handball.
Bosnia pulled one back in the 62nd minute when striker Zvjezdan Misimovic scored from the rebound after keeper Serghei Pascenco saved his penalty attempt.
Grlic - a second-half substitute - slotted home the equaliser six minutes later.
Moldova travel to Turkey on Wednesday while Bosnia-Herzegovina host Greece.
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